Theanine Health Benefits
More Than A Relaxant!

The list of theanine health benefits gets longer daily and manifests itself in both mind and body.

Here is what scientists have discovered to date. Enjoy.

Theanine Health
Benefits #1:
Promotes Alpha Brain Waves

Do you know that your brain has 4 wave patterns, each of them associated with a different state of mind? Going from lowest to highest frequency:

In Delta brain waves, you are sleeping deeply.

In Theta brain waves, you are dozing away.

In Alpha brain waves, you are relaxed, and yet alert.

In Beta brain waves, you are awake and very excited. You can also be anxious and stressed!

So, if you want to lead a happier, more fulfilling life, you would want more alpha waves, and fewer beta waves.

Numerous human trials have shown that theanine
can promote alpha brain waves, putting you in a relaxed, yet alert
state without causing drowsiness.

A paper published in the June 1999 issue of
Trends in Food Science & Technology found that theanine reduces anxiety in young women aged 18 to 22.

They were given either water, 50 milligrams or 200 milligrams of L-theanine once a week. Afterward, their brain
waves were measured.

Those who received the highest dose (200 mg) produced more
alpha waves.

Theanine Health
Benefits
#2:
Increases Dopamine

Further evidence of theanine's relaxing properties come from 4 animal studies that found that theanine reliably increases dopamine levels in the brain.

What's dopamine?

Dopamine is a hormone that is associated with a feeling of well-being. It is a neurotransmitter that is released during pleasurable
activities such as eating and sex.

Some studies also suggest that theanine may increase your brain’s production of
serotonin and GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid). However, these results are still highly preliminary.

Theanine Health
Benefits
#3
Enhances Learning and
Concentration

Theanine enhances the ability to learn, and to remember. It
increases concentration, a reason why monks and scholars incorporate
tea drinking into meditation and study.

It appears to work quickly and seems to be most effective when
you are stressed and your mind is preoccupied by many thoughts. It helps to relax your mind, allowing you to focus on the
task at hand.

Because it helps the mind stop racing, it also seems to help
promote a more restful, sound sleep. This is because sleep is not
interrupted by random thoughts.

A 2007 study conducted by Doctor Foxe found that it synergizes
with caffeine to boost the activity of brain neurons.

"As little as 100 milligrams enabled people to focus better on
complicated tasks, but only when consumed with 60 milligrams of
caffeine — a combination found in roughly 4 cups of green tea," said
Foxe more recently.

"There was a profound synergistic effect," he says. "My take
is, we're all self-medicating with this."

According to a 2002 paper published by Zhang et al., theanine reduced cholesterol counts in both humans and gerbils, showing that it may improve your heart health.

Another 1997 Japanese study also found that theanine prevents cholesterol from
turning bad through oxidation (in a process called LDL peroxidation).
However, this effect was not as strong as that of green tea polyphenols.

A 2002 study published by Sadzuka et al. suggested that theanine may help improve the quality of life of cancer patients by improving the efficacy of cancer drugs, and through its relaxing effects on the mind.

Studies have found that theanine has the following benefits for cancer patients:

Increases the concentration of anti-cancer drugs in tumors.

Reduces the concentration of anti-cancer drugs in other tissues, where they are not needed.

Inhibits the growth of cancer tumors themselves.

The end result? More effective cancer treatment with fewer side effects.

Finally, if you are not already overwhelmed by the magic of
theanine, another 2001 study by the Institute of Traditional Medicine
discovered that consuming 200 milligrams of theanine daily helps
alleviate PMS symptoms.

The study concluded that the supplement is especially helpful for relaxing the mind.